Sherbrooke, May 22, 2025 – Distriq, Sherbrooke's Quantum Innovation Zone, and PINQ² (Quebec Digital and Quantum Innovation Platform) announce the signing of a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the adoption and commercialization of quantum technologies in Quebec and across Canada.
This innovative partnership is founded on a shared vision: to democratize access to quantum technologies and foster the emergence of a robust industrial fabric — from startups to large enterprises — capable of integrating these innovations into real-world applications.
An Alliance to Support Adopting Companies
Through this agreement, PINQ² and Distriq will combine their expertise, infrastructures, and networks to meet the needs of SMEs, large enterprises, and startups in Quebec and Canada aiming to explore or adopt quantum in their industrial processes.
A Bridge Between Ecosystems to Strengthen Quebec’s Leadership
PINQ², a central actor in applied digital and quantum innovation, and Distriq, a hub for quantum research and commercialization in Sherbrooke, share a mission: to position Quebec as a global leader in applied quantum economy by fostering deep collaboration among industrial, academic, and technological stakeholders.
Toward an Impact Economy Powered by Quantum
As quantum technologies move from labs to real-world applications, this partnership aims to catalyze the development of practical solutions — from logistics optimization to materials simulation, cybersecurity, and advanced data processing — while ensuring a smooth, risk-mitigated transition from classical technologies like high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI). Distriq and PINQ² will support the evolution toward hybrid classical-quantum models, leveraging innovations such as Qiskit SDK v2.0 to help enterprises scale up their quantum-readiness with confidence.
"Together, PINQ² and Distriq are building the human, technological, and strategic infrastructure that will power tomorrow’s economy. This is a major opportunity for Quebec and Canadian companies to gain early positioning in the quantum value chain," said the leadership teams of both organizations.
About Distriq
Distriq is Sherbrooke’s Quantum Innovation Zone, a unique ecosystem dedicated to innovation, commercialization, and industrialization of quantum technologies. By leveraging academic, industrial, and entrepreneurial strengths, Distriq acts as a key innovation engine in Quebec.
About PINQ²
PINQ² is a non-profit organization offering a digital and quantum innovation platform operating at the provincial and national levels. Through a single interface, it provides access to both quantum and classical computing resources. This collaborative environment lowers barriers related to cost, technical complexity, and infrastructure management, enabling businesses and universities to test, validate, and deploy advanced technological solutions. PINQ² operates the only IBM Quantum System One in Canada and supports innovation particularly in the fields of finance, environment, energy, aerospace, and life and biomedical sciences.